Guardian Chronicles 6: Powerlinx of Darkness
by StSE
Summary: G1/Armada. Action/tragedy. Despair forces a Seeker beyond the very fabric of space. She faces both immortality and the ultimate evil; as Sideways takes both her love and her very soul! Galvatron returns with the power to equal Unicron...
1. Chapter 1

**Powerlinx of Darkness**

**Forward:** This is the series that falls between the Raptor Chronicle series and the Armada Soul-Flyer series. And will bring the two together in continuity.

_**In the Raptor Chronicles**_: G1: with the assassination of Galvatron, the Decepticons and Autobots ended up creating an Allied nation; With Cyclonus as the con leader, Ultra Magnus as the bot leader – and Raptor joining the two by making them her 'official mates'. They rule equally, with the military under Cyclonus and the civilians under Ultra Magnus.

_**Raptor the character**__; originally started in my Raptor Chronicles. She is an F-22 which was animated by G1 Starscream, and trained in the arts of infiltration, sabotage and assassination. She was animated using a 'human spark'; thus, thinks and feels in a human way – not a Cybertronian way. _

**Mutual Sorrow**

Optimus put his arm around the gray/green Seeker as she leaned into him. In silence they had sat on that barren mountainside, watching as the golden rays of the rising sun – ended with the fading reds of its setting. Both of them quietly supported the other, as each of them remembered the mates they had loved and lost.

For a thousand years, Raptor had performed this silent vigil. At first, she did it alone, without telling anyone anything more than _'I just need to think.' _As this pattern continued for centuries, Ultra Magnus had finally done some digging in the human records, and they all realized what she was doing. She was remembering her human family on the day of their deaths so long ago.

Sometimes, various Autobots would join her; every now and then, Dead End would join her. He was the one Decepticon that seemed to understand her temporary morbid mood.

Then, one time Optimus chose to join her. They had had a very gut-wrenching conversation about each of their lost loves. That was several centuries ago, and Optimus had joined her each time since. They had grown closer with their mutual sense of loss and understanding, each knowing that the other was wishing that it was the lost love sitting there.

No, Optimus and Raptor were never a couple. Their relationship had grown far deeper than mere physical wants and desires. In the deepest sense of the word, they had become best friends.

**Chasing Away the Pain..**

As the final rays dimmed into blackness, they slowly stood. _"Thank you Optimus," _Raptor said as they embraced and she laid her helm on his shoulder. Her voice filled with sadness.

He kissed the top of her helm and held her tightly, trying to imagine that it was Elita One he held. _"Thank you my friend."_

They separated and smiled sadly at each other. _"So, are you going back to the front lines for a while?" _Prime asked, knowing the answer.

She nodded, and then turning, she jumped from the mountainside. Transforming and roaring her afterburners as she tried to follow the ashes of her family.

Silently, Optimus watched her fade into the distance. Every year she did the same thing for a period after this date, whether it was immersing herself in rescue efforts for massive natural disasters – or if there were none – she would join Cyclonus on the front lines against the Quintessons. Optimus knew she was doing it to run away from her internal pain, and each century, it was taking her longer and longer to get that pain to return to the place it hid. As time passed, the continuing lives and deaths of her extended human family seemed to weigh heavier and heavier upon her.

Sighing, he transformed and headed back to Metroplex.

**Silent Cosmos**

The sun's fading light edged her graceful wings with contrails of glistening rainbows. Rolling, Raptor cast a last longing look at the mountainside of her vigil. _'Goodbye my loves..' s_he quietly called to her long-dead family.

Flipping her rudders, she shot straight up into the brilliant lonely expanse that was space; which matched the empty expanse that was her soul. Swinging wide, she looked upon the blue of her home world. No longer feeling like a true 'home' to her anymore.

Setting course, she radioed the fleet's flagship, informing them of her ETA.

"_I look forward to fighting next to you, Raptor;" _Cyclonus radioed in reply, expecting this predictable annual visit.

"_I do hope that there's some dogfights to be had," s_he replied.

"_If there aren't, I'm sure we can create some." _

**Friend's in Morbidity**

"_Hey Raptor, you want to unwind a little on Jaspar 3?" _Dead End asked her, noticing that she was trying to conceal the fact that she was still in one of her more morbid moods.

He liked her when she was in this mood. This was the only time he ever had someone who'd sit for hours, drinking and discussing his favorite subject: Death. And Raptor actually seemed to enjoy his company as well.

Raptor was standing with several of the con officers, discussing fleet maneuvers.

She turned to look at him, giving him a rather sarcastic smile. _"I guess that's your way of hinting that you need a lift?" _

He shifted a little, but this was an old game they'd played for centuries. He knew that Raptor didn't want the other cons to realize that she was, periodically, fixated on death. Then they'd think she was as strange as he was. _"Octane and Astrotrain aren't in this quadrant, so I was hoping you'd be interested."_

She strolled up to him, looking arrogantly down at the smaller Mech. _"So what makes you think I'm interested?"_

He did his best to act nervous. _"Well, there have been some rumors of some bounty hunters based there; Bounty hunters that might give us info on the hidden Quintesson bases in this sector."_

"_Hmmm, interesting idea Dead End." _She looked back at the other officers. _"I'll be away for a few days on this 'intelligence' mission."_

Then she marched down the corridor with Dead End in tow.

**Drink in Despair**

Downing another round of energon, Raptor cocked her head and looked at him quizzically. _"So by your line of reasoning, we are just all 'living dead' anyways, huh?"_

She was getting blitzed, and really needed it!

He leaned unsteadily on the back of the booth. _"Well, we're all food for rust, so what's the difference? Live or dead?" _

She laughed. _"So what we accomplish in our lives means nothing?"_

"_It's going to eventually all be consumed by decay anyway." _Dead End almost fell out of the booth, but Raptor caught his arm and dragged him back upright.

"_What about love and passion?" s_he slurred.

"_Just brief moments before the inevitable."_

She slapped him on the back, _"Ah, but Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp all decided to come back from the other side. For love or passion."_

"_He, he…" _He threw down another drink. _"Since Starscream obviously didn't come back for 'love'; that just proves that hate is as strong as love – both can bring you back. So it doesn't really matter which one you feel, it all is the same in the end."_

"_So, if hate and love are equal – then where's the damned middle?"_

"_Does it really matter? They both end in the same place."_

She put her arm around the smaller Mech. _"But without either, the soul is a place of total emptiness."_

"_So I guess there's no middle ground, it's either one or the other – or you're just empty. Like the 'living dead'." _Dead End mused.

Taking another gulp of energon, Raptor looked at him with sadness in her optics. _"Yes, empty like the 'living dead'.. Such a fitting description of true despair, is it not?"_

Dead End didn't realize it, but he had finally given Raptor a way to define herself.

--

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	2. Ghost Squadron

**Chapter 2**

**Concern**

"_She has been damaged badly again," _Scourge quietly informed Cyclonus.

The Commander nodded, a thoughtful look spreading across his stern visage. _"The troops are telling me she no longer backs down and uses tact during battle."_

"_Yes, she's just going straight in, without an ounce of fear or concern for her own survival;" _Scourge nodded.

"_This is not typical of her." _Cyclonus was becoming very concerned, he had fought by her side for centuries, and throughout that time she had always been cool and levelheaded during battle.

The Sweep agreed; _"she's changed since she came back. She seems to be driven, the battle lust becoming so strong that it blinds her." _

"_Maybe we need to consider taking her off the front lines. Perhaps she needs time to cool down." _He looked at Scourge for his opinion.

The hulking Mech's optics widened slightly. _"You know she would never allow that! And I would hate to be the Mech in her way."_

"_Yes, you do have a point."_

"_Perhaps, if we send her to investigate a different sector, it might keep her busy long enough to calm down;" _Scourge mused.

"_Yes, that's an intriguing idea." _Cyclonus rubbed his chin in thought.

"_Why don't we put her old squadron together, send them out for some sabotage. Then Raptor would have to return to her old ways of planning and stalking."_

"_Yes, we'll just do that;" _Cyclonus decided.For Scourge's idea and logic made perfect sense.

**Ghost Squadron **

Thrust and Ramjet were more than happy to rejoin their old squadron. They both enjoyed the hit-and-run type of destruction that the Ghost Squadron was notorious for.

Raptor wasn't as thrilled. She had learned to crave the excitement and danger of frontal assault, but no matter how she argued with Cyclonus, he had not relented. Since he was the military Commander, she had to obey his orders, for the sake of Alliance Doctrine.

Stomping into the ship's Magazine, she sullenly transformed and taxied up to her wing mates. All three of them waited patiently as the munitions officers, fully armed them with missiles.

"_It'll be fun! Getting to blow up everything in our path!" _Ramjet tried to cheer her up.

She snorted derisively. _"Not as fun as dogfighting!"_

"_Look at it this way, we blow them up and don't have to worry about our tails getting damaged!" _Thrust liked any conflict where he didn't have to worry about getting damaged himself.

Ramjet snickered. _"If you want to keep damaging yourself, don't use your missiles, and just ram the targets."_

"_Like you do?" s_arcasm dripped off her every word.

At this, Thrust snickered his agreement. Ramjet was notorious for coming back damaged, because he seemed to believe his name was the way he should fight.

"_Hey, it works, so what;" c_ame the cynical reply. _"At least I'm not scared of damage!"_

Raptor could sense Thrust bristle. Afraid that the petty argument would soon erupt in missile fire, and blow up the entire ship, she decided she'd just have to swallow the pill that Cyclonus had given her, and actually take command of her squadron. _"Alright you two sloggers, just shut up and follow orders!" _

Grumbling came from both sides of her, but they both silenced their voice processors.

**Quintesson Plans**

"_Raptor and her squadron have been spotted in operations along the Gamma 3 sector;" t_he Quintesson leader stated, his red face shifting to his more dynamic multi-colored façade.

"_It is just the three of them?" h_is cohort asked.

"_Affirmative. They have been steadily destroying our supply depots throughout that sector."_

"_Is it a predictable path?"_

"_Affirmative, we can predict which one they will most likely target next, with ninety percent accuracy."_

His cohort's tentacles wiggled in muted excitement. _"Then we can ambush them and terminate her?"_

The leader shifted his face to the one of death. _"Yes, it seems it is the perfect opportunity to assassinate the Alliance's link."_

Matching his leader's death face with his own, the cohort chuckled. _"It is time to break the Alliance and make them return to civil war."_

"_And we will again regain what was stolen from us." _

"_Cybertron.."_

They cackled together at the mere thought of their plan's completion.

--

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	3. Assasination Attempt

Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Ambush!**

Ramjet flew in low, strafing the Sharkicon guards with laser fire. Several of the guards tried to jump him, but were simply torn apart as he hit them head on, giving them the full 50,000 pounds of his forward engine thrust. Dropping his tail, he put on full afterburners and shot straight into the sky again, snickering loudly as those Sharkicons whom were too close, found themselves melted in the heat of his engine fire.

Raptor banked around the Quintesson base, Thrust acting as her wingmech. Laser locking one of the heavily fortified structures, her belly bay opened and she let loose of her modified JDAM; immediately, she lifted her nose, getting out of Thrust's way as he locked and released his JDAM. They banked sharply, both of them watching in pleasure as two of the three structures disappeared in clouds of dust.

Then a laser almost hit her wing, another streaked down and caught Thrust in an engine. Shocked, Raptor darted to port, going into evasive maneuvers even though she didn't know where the shots were coming from.

"_We got company," _Ramjet said, looping around and evading fire from the five Quintesson cruisers which had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Thrust moaned, _"And a lot of it! Sloggers!" _Using his remaining engine, he was having a hell of a time evading being hit again.

Raptor laughed like a Mech possessed; _"Let's have some real fun, boys!" _Then she went vertical, heading straight towards one of the cruisers, weapon bays opening to release her other missiles.

"_Shouldn't we just retreat? We've already destroyed our target;" _Thrust whined, then realized that both Ramjet and Raptor were in full battle lust, and wouldn't stop until either the enemy was destroyed – or they were. Moaning in frustration, he threw on his afterburners, maxing them out as he tried to get far enough away from the action, not to get damaged – but yet stay close enough, to hit them with the remaining missiles he was carrying.

"_Ha, ha – die ya sloggers!" _Ramjet yelled in glee, as he sent the remainder of his missiles at one of the cruisers. Sharkicons flooded out of another cruiser, all aiming towards the two Seekers in the middle of the fray.

Out of missiles, Ramjet strafed them with machine gun fire. Those that weren't hit by the munitions ended up falling away like bowling pins, as the battle crazed Seeker just flew into them.

Three of the cruisers began to fall to the planet, as the missiles blew them to pieces. But there were seemingly still hundreds of Sharkicons and two cruisers left.

"_Ramjet, Raptor – we're out numbered!" _Thrust whined, as the Sharkicons spotted him and started pursuit.

"_You ain't chicken or something?" _Ramjet snickered, crashing through another dozen of the Sharkicons. He knew, if he kept fast, and on his wings – these sloggers couldn't catch him!

They both heard Raptor, she had started singing some strange earth song – about war, battle and death; her voice staying strong as she darted this way and that, firing at Sharkicon targets. She was like a fighter possessed! Her airframe stressed to the max as she used thrust vectoring and bursts of her afterburners to dart port and starboard. Energon flowing freely from multiple surface wounds, as in desperation she ended up using Ramjet's tactics to destroy many of the Sharkicons in her way, giving them the full 70,000 pounds of her combined engine thrust. The door over her right wing, locked open, as her laser cannon continued to fire.

"_I'll cover your wing!" _Ramjet said eager to join his wing leader in the 'Sharkicon bowling'. As he banked hard to join her, a strong laser strike caught him right between his vertical tails, blowing both his engines. He went down fast and hard.

Thrust darted starboard, evading yet another group of sharkicons and kept his guns blazing. _"We got to get outt've here! Ramjet's down!" _Thrust evaded more of them, fighting frantically to save his own tail.

Not seeming to notice the loss of her squadron, Raptor recklessly fought on. Darting, weaving, stalling, firing full thrust; Scores of Sharkicons fell before her continuous laser fire, but multitudes replaced them. Her shields weren't holding, her lasers draining her power core fast. But still, she kept on, a mindless part of the fray. Then suddenly, the Sharkicons mobbed her, biting down on her wings and dragging her down.

Transforming, she continued to fight, as she was swallowed by the mob of Sharkicons.

**Assassins**

'_The Sharkicons have done well, call them back to the cruiser and let us depart;" t_he Quintesson leader stated, his voice deep and emotionless.

His cohort made the commands; then turned one of his more pleasant faces to him. _"We've lost three cruisers and 80 Sharkicons on this mission. Replacing them will significantly cut into our current profits."_

The leader turned his most dangerous face towards his subordinate. _"It is worth any price to destroy the Alliance."_

"_To regain Cybertron."_

**Critical Decisions**

"_She is severely damaged; Hook and First Aid do not give her a high probability of surviving." _Cyclonus informed the Autobot Commanders as they joined him in the observation deck above the Flagship's repair bay.

Ultra Magnus looked down at the prone Seeker lying on the table, the best of both con and bot medics desperately working to stabilize her. She didn't look much like a Seeker now, her wings shredded, only one arm and one leg barely remaining; Her fuselage nothing more than a twisted mess of leaked energon and shredded metal.

Rodimus was taken aback by her condition, he had known she was in bad shape, but this was beyond even what he was expecting! _Please, Raptor, make it! _He silently prayed, for even though there was still some animosity between Raptor and he, she was the link of the Alliance. They so needed her for the peace!

Scourge nodded to them all as he entered. _"The Quintessons were definitely targeting Raptor. They only did enough damage to Thrust and Ramjet to get them out of the way. Once they were grounded, they seemed to ignore them."_

"_Sloggers! Cyclonus, why'd you let her go with so little backup?" _Rodimus said, his voice filled with frustration.

Ultra Magnus put his hand on the orange Mech's shoulder. _"She would've made life hell for Cyclonus, had he tried to keep her from battle." _

Stone faced, Cyclonus nodded his agreement to the Autobot Commander.

Optimus silently watched as the medics frantically worked on the shattered Seeker. It hurt him deeply to see his friend like this, but he knew it would mean everything to her to know that both cons and bots were working on her.

"_Raptor's behavior had changed recently, she had become almost reckless." _Cyclonus quietly mentioned; _"I had taken her off the frontlines and tried to send her to a less treacherous, sector."_

"_She made his life hell even over that!" a_nother Sweep added.

Ultra Magnus and Optimus looked at each other. _"It seems that the Quintessons were just waiting for this opportunity," _Prime stated.

His old friend nodded, both at Prime and Cyclonus. _"Trying to destroy the Alliance; by destroying the link."_

Cyclonus nodded thoughtfully; _"This plan would make sense for them."_

Boldly, Ultra Magnus walked up to Cyclonus and offered his hand. _"Whether she lives or dies, we continue the Alliance as it has been."_

Meeting the blue optics with his red, Cyclonus grasped the offered hand. _"I agree."_

As one, the con and bot leaders turned and watched the frantic medics; both knowing there was a good chance that they might have to keep the Alliance strong together, both desperately hoping that they wouldn't have to.

--

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	4. Heaven and Hell

Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Heaven and Hell**

The mist drew her in, comforting in its silence. Raptor walked on, not knowing where she was, but for some reason this didn't bother her. It seemed like eons that she walked through that mist, ghostly shapes passing her, some walking in the same direction, others the opposite.

As she continued, she ended up falling in with a larger and larger group of shapes, all flowing in the same direction. Suddenly, the mist cleared as she walked out of its grasp. The crowd of formless shapes she had flowed in with slowed, as if each shape was contemplating what lay in their path.

Before them lay two medieval stone walls, with large heavily ornamented gates; these walls faced each other across the expansive courtyard which she and her fellow shapes now gathered.

One set was in brilliant gold and beautiful rays of light seemed to emanate from behind its tall stone walls. On either side of its brilliant gate, were the most beautiful human beings she had ever laid optics on. These humans had eagle wings, their feathers glowing in a rainbow of colors, setting off the beautiful hues of their robes. Each of them held a flaming sword, which they kept crossed over the entrance, blocking many of the ghostly shapes from entering – yet, allowing entrance to others.

The other set was made of Obsidian, its black surface ominously matching the darkness that came from within it. On either side of its jeweled black gate, were living gargoyles. Their red eyes gleaming as they scanned the ghostly shapes, they held bullwhips, for whichever ghostly shapes were denied entrance to the gold gates, they forced them into the gaping black hole between them. The shapes wailing in agonized torment as they were forced through.

Going with the flow, Raptor found herself standing before the two iridescent Angels. They put their swords together, blocking her way and denying her entrance. The terrible understanding flowed through her soul, but before she entered hell, she just had to ask them one question. _"Please tell me great angels, is my husband and children within your gates?" _

The beautiful angels looked at each other, and then looked with pity upon her soul. _"Since you did not ask of your own soul, but for the souls of others, we will answer your question." _The one with golden hair decided; touched that her soul's biggest fear, was not for itself – but for others. _"Yes, your family is within, and all are blessed with eternal happiness." _

She bowed in respect to him. _"Thank you great angel, my soul is now at peace;" _With that, she turned with acceptance of her fate, and fell in line to go through the gates of hell.

Soon she stood in front of the Gargoyles, her soul screaming in terror but fully accepting her fate. As she calmly stepped to enter the blackness, the Gargoyles shifted and blocked her way. She looked in their red eyes in shock. _"Why?" s_he stammered, for if she wasn't allowed in heaven, surely her place was in hell!

The Gargoyles stared at her. _"Because you are no longer fully a human soul, so you do not belong."_

She backed up in shock, and then looked down at her hands; they were the hands of Raptor the Decepticon, not her human hands! Looking back up at the demons, she stammered. _"Where do I go?"_

One pointed his clawed finger toward the mists beyond the sets of gates. _"Beyond those mists are the realms of the other species' afterworlds."_

She nodded in submission; then looked pleadingly at the demon. _"Please, sir, tell me; Is this why I was not allowed in heaven either?"_

He simply nodded.

She stumbled off, alone, into the mists; her soul still in shock that she was no longer human.

**Ocean of Serenity**

It seemed like eons that she stumbled through the mists, the loneliness and emptiness seeking to overwhelm her soul. She had sought release from her torment! She had simply wanted to return to what she should've been, a human soul returned to the embrace of her family. But even that, had been stolen from her by the Transformers! In so many ways, they had truly cursed her! Taken her family before their time, taking her physical humanity away – and now, taken the last piece of her humanity from her!

Despair filled her soul. The agony of her existence becoming too much to bear. She sat down, put her head on her knees and screamed her agony out to the silent mists. For eons she did this, not caring about the passage of time, her soul wrought with the sheer torture of the truth of its existence.

Then she felt a metal hand on her wing, looking up, her optics met the sapphire blue optics of the Transformer standing over her. He had the white body of an ambulance, Autobot insignias gleamed on his shoulders. A look of pity and understanding crossed his face, as he gently wiped the energon tears of despair from her cheeks. _"It's Ok, come with me;" h_e said in a gentle, warm voice.

Slowly she stood, using his offered hand. _"I'm Raptor.."_

"_I know.." _His smile was warm. _"I'm Ratchet."_

A shocked look passed quickly across her face, for she recognized the name of First Aid's predecessor. He had died before she had become one of them, but stories about his abilities and caring personality still coursed through the ranks. _"First Aid speaks highly of you."_

"_That's good," h_e simply said, then grabbed her hand and led her through the mists.

The mists cleared into the scene of an expansive beach, the gentle waves of the ocean caressing its shores. Many souls came to meet her, both Autobot and Decepticon. Within their optics she saw understanding, and even though this wasn't the afterlife her soul should've gone to, she began to accept the fact that she would reside here.

A large, golden Transformer strolled towards them. Diffuse light seemingly emanating from his very armor. A broadsword strapped across his back; His optics boring into hers as he stopped in front of her and looked her over.

Instinctively, she understood that this was the Transformer's Angel of Death – the Commander residing over this realm. Falling to her knee, she bowed in reverence to him.

She felt his fingers under her chin, then he forced her to stand, to look into his wondrous orbs. _"You do not belong with the dead of my realm," h_e stated flatly.

Her soul again shook to its very core! Without this place, she truly had no where to go! Looking into his orbs she pleaded. _"The human afterlife's will not accept me, will you too – not accept me?"_

"_I cannot, for you do not belong." _

"_Please great angel, tell me where I belong?" _the torture within her soul, resonated through her plea.

A look of pity crossed his façade. _"You are neither fully human nor transformer, therefore you belong in neither afterlife. For you are like me, you are a Soul Flyer, who will travel between the planes of existence as I do. You will never know the peace of death."_

She fell into his arms, the real truth of her existence too much for her to bear. He put his arms around her, understanding her emotions, for once, eons ago; he too had felt the same way.

**The Light**

The light shone brightly, beckoning her, not allowing her to refuse. She followed that light, her soul straining to reach it.

Suddenly she found herself in agony, every inch of her fuselage ripped and torn, and the glaring lights of the repair bay shooting pain into her optics. She felt the hands within her, felt the burn of the welders as they worked on her. Her voice processors not functioning, so her agonized screams went unheard.

Then, First Aide's gentle blue optics met hers. Tenderly he touched the only undamaged side of her face, smiling with relief. _"It's Ok, you'll be Ok."_

Barely conscious, Raptor faintly heard Hook's voice yelling to the Commanders that she was going to pull through.

--

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	5. Haunted Soul

Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Haunted**

Although Optimus was elated that Raptor would survive, the emptiness and rage he saw within her optics haunted him.

Sipping the energon in the Flagship's mess hall, he quietly listened to the lighthearted chat and challenges between the cons and bots. Raptor's survival of the assassination attempt had boosted Alliance moral throughout the ranks. The troops were now focused with a tight laser lock, on paying back the Quintessons for their attempt. Many Autobot reservists were voluntarily joining Cyclonus's fleet – wanting desperately to be part of the pending backlash.

_But at what cost to her, had Raptor come back?_ Again, her optics haunted him. He knew she struggled with the emotions of her human soul, but he had never seen that kind of rage within her. He feared she had experienced something while she hung between life and death, something that had truly changed her very soul.

"_May I join you?" _Cyclonus's deep voice asked.

Prime merely nodded, still engrossed in his thoughts.

Ordering some energon, Cyclonus sat silently for a while, also deeply in thought. _"Something has changed within Raptor;" _he stated, also having noticed the rage within her silent optics. Though still badly damaged, and unable to verbally communicate, she had met his optics with her own. What he had seen in those violent crimson orbs shook the big Mech to his core.

Optimus nodded, _so he was not the only one to notice_. _"I fear there may be a heavy price for her return to us. I fear she has seen something on the other side. Something that was unexpected."_

"_Hmmm…" _the con Commander mused. His thoughts went back to his time spent in the afterlife, an afterlife which Prime had also experienced. _"We will not know until she is able to tell us."_

The red Mech nodded. He and Cyclonus understood each other better for their experience; an experience that few Transformers ever came back from.

Then they spied Starscream strolling through the mess hall. _"Looks like Starscream's come to see how his creation is doing;" _Optimus noted.

Cyclonus nodded. He still didn't like the coniving con, but with Starscream running around with Skyfire and just studying things, he had at least become tolerable. He gave a low chuckle and mumbled; _"She's the only successful thing he ever did." _

Under his mask, a smile crossed the red Mech's face. He had to agree with Cyclonus on that comment. All the Autobots had been very pleased by the fact that the purple Con had won the right to be the next Decepticon Commander; for if Starscream had gotten the Command it would've been intolerable to say the least!

**Focus of Rage**

Slowly, First Aid began to charge her systems. It had taken him and Hook several weeks to rebuild her, and the two of them were very proud of their combined work. It had been very tedious and difficult, the specifics of her platform alignment and getting the ceramic materials for her nozzles, making it take even longer to perfect. As they worked Sunstreaker had come in, and begun painting her, section by section, as they slowly pieced her back together.

Surprisingly, when he had first come in to offer his specialized services, Sunstreaker had quietly regarded Raptor. Instead of arrogantly bragging about what she 'needed' to look like, he had, rather humbly, asked her if she would like to return to her old paint job. Raptor looked at him quizzically, and then quietly told him 'yes, I would'.

So now she was, as they had originally seen her, her dull gray/green fuselage only setting off the shimmering Decepticon insignias on her wings. Her optics glowed brightly with some strange emotion; and she had said very, very few words to any of them.

As she slowly charged, the Alliance leaders all came in. Looks of confusion passed quietly between the Mechs as they noticed her return to her original look. Sunstreaker walked by them and casually informed them that that was exactly what she wanted. Then he disappeared out the door.

Weakly, she sat up, her optics speaking volumes, but her face staying emotionless.

Optimus gave his friend a hug, noticing the coldness with which she returned it. _"It's good to have you back, my friend."_

She simply nodded.

Then Starscream came through the door, excited to see Raptor alive and well. With his normal cocky façade he strolled up to her.

Without warning, Raptor launched herself at him! The charging cables ripping violently from her fuselage. She growled in rage, beating the surprised Seeker with all her might.

"_You son-of-a-bitch! Why'd you do it! Why!" s_he screamed; both anguish and rage filling her voice.

In shock, the other Mechs at first stood there as she beat Starscream's helm against the wall. Then swiftly, Cyclonus and Optimus grabbed her and dragged her off of the red Seeker.

Twisting in their powerful grasp, Raptor tried in vain to break free, to go after the Seeker again. To make him feel the pain that she felt! She kept screaming the same question at him. Unable to break free from the two powerful Mechs, she collapsed onto her knees.

"_Every one, leave us!" _The two Mechs whom held her ordered.

**Anguished Soul**

Forcefully, Cyclonus and Optimus managed to set her back on the repair table; Cyclonus holding the enraged femme still with his strong arms around her, while Optimus reconnected the charging cables.

She broke down and began to weep as a human would; leaning her head into Cyclonus's breastplate. Her cries were filled with an empty anguish.

Cyclonus looked questioningly at Optimus, for he was both uncomfortable and confused by this type of emotion that Raptor was showing. Yet, he continued to hold her, as Optimus nodded for him to.

Putting his hand on her wing, Prime stroked the Seeker's insignia, disturbed by the implications of her choice in returning to what she had once been. _"What is inside you, Raptor? Tell us;" _his soft voice urged.

Her shoulders quit shaking as she regained her control. Cyclonus thankfully loosened his hold on her as she seemingly relaxed. He had never understood these types of emotions, so they always perplexed and disconcerted him.

Steadily she gazed in the brilliant blue orbs of her friend. The tears of true despair stained her gray cheeks. _"I am nothing but an empty shell, the undead - that no one wants - and forever a prisoner," _her empty voice was barely audible.

"_What do you mean by this?" _Cyclonus demanded, his deep voice showing his confusion.

Optimus looked long and hard at her, then understanding filled his optics and pity for her filled his soul. _"The afterlife will not accept her," _he explained to Cyclonus.

A rare show of compassion crossed the con leader's face, and he looked at the Alliance's Link in true pity. He pulled the femme into his arms again, this time with no internal discomfort – just understanding for what she had truly lost.

Ice walked in; looking at both Mechs and the Seeker they were comforting. _"You two go on, I need to talk with Raptor."_

Cyclonus was more than pleased to let the Seeker handle the emotional Alliance Commander, so he released his hold on Raptor and moved toward the door.

Optimus was a little more uncertain about Ice's ability to keep Raptor calmed down; his optics questioned the Autobot Seeker.

Ice nodded to him; _"It'll be Ok, please leave us."_

Studying her intently, Prime followed Cyclonus out of the room.

--

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	6. Fly Away

Fly Away

**A New Alliance Commander**

"_Magnus, she's gone!" _ First Aid yelled, as he rudely interrupted the Alliance Commanders' meeting.

Cyclonus stood up, his crimson optics glaring at the Autobot medic. _"What is the meaning of this interruption? Who is gone?" _he demanded.

First Aid swallowed in apprehension. He was still a little nervous around the more aggressive Decepticons. _"Raptor's gone, and she took my minicon team."_

Grumbles of disbelief went through the gathered Mechs, Optimus Prime and Cyclonus strode towards the door, fully intending to begin an immediate search. Raptor was still very weak, and shouldn't have been able to go far.

"_Sit down gentlemen, let her go," _Ice calmly ordered. As the Alliance Commander's Second-in-Command – she had been part of the meeting with the Faction Commanders.

Turning, both sets of Faction Command Officers looked at her suspiciously; for she didn't seem the least bit bothered that her Commander had disappeared. Smelling a conspiracy, Cyclonus strode up to the Seeker – fully intending to pick her up and slam her against the wall for her insubordination to Raptor. He was stopped by glowing scimitars held to his throat.

Ice looked at him steadily with her strange amber optics, and then she glanced at the other powerful ground Mechs gathered. _"I highly suggest all of you; sit down and let us converse calmly."_

Every Mech glared at her, but sat down – intrigued by what this Seeker had to say about all this.

"_So what did you say to her, when you chased us all out of her room?" _Prime demanded to know.

Ice shrugged as she sat down, _"What was said is of no importance."_

"_You pathetic traitor!" _Cyclonus bellowed, making like he was going to attack her again.

She just met his optics, _"I would never betray my own Mother."_

A shocked silence filled the room. All the Mechs knew she had been trained by Raptor in her home dimension, but no one had even suspected that the relationship was even closer.

"_She's your MOTHER?!" _Rodimus asked, incredulous.

Prime leaned forward, _"Does she know this?"_

"_No, she cannot know" _Ice replied. _"For if she knew the truth of her future; she may not want to face it."_

"_Then why make her?" _Scourge demanded, glaring at the Seeker. _"We need her here; the Mech nation is strong because of her!"_

Ice regarded him, _"Because if she doesn't go, my Cybertron will be destroyed before it is truly even born. My Mechs will never know war – then peace. And Mechs will never be able to reproduce without Vector Sigma." _Lowering her head, she allowed them to see her true sadness at seeing her mother leave. _"Raptor will battle again, almost die. She will learn to hate war, hate battle. She will then become the first Matron, for only her human spark can reproduce with the Mechs of my dimension. This will create a new type of hybrid-sparked Mech, which can also reproduce."_

"_So is that Optimus Prime truly your father?" _Optimus asked, suspicious that if this femme had hidden the fact that she was Raptor's daughter – that perhaps she had lied about the identity of her Father.

She turned her amber optics to him, nodding. _"Raptor will first choose that Starscream as a mate, then circumstances will cause her to join with Optimus. There will be nine siblings in all – six of us will be Optimus's and three will be Starscream's." _

Looking in her optics, the Mechs knew she spoke honestly.

Ultra Magnus leaned back in his seat. He remembered how much Ice had missed her home, and now he suspected that she was missing more than just a bond mate. _"You have left offspring there, haven't you? And if so, why didn't you take the opportunity to go back with your Mother?"_

Ice sighed and nodded. _"Yes, I have three offspring with Blurr. He is a good, strong father and soldier, and though I miss them terribly, I know they are in good hands. There is no way I can ever go back, for that would change my own history, possibly destroy it."_

"_So you are stuck here, now alone without even Raptor;" _Optimus stated.

Ice nodded, but her optics gleamed with a strange emotion. _"In a sense, yes I'm alone. But Raptor shall return to this dimension at least two more times." _

The Mechs leaned forward, not understanding how this could be possible.

"_Raptor isn't mortal anymore. She hasn't been mortal since the day that Starscream tore her from her human body," _Ice explained. _"She is a Soul Flyer. And it is through the gems she grows within her very skin, that the Autobots of several dimensions are given the power to defeat Unicron."_

"_You're saying it's Raptor that gave us the Matrix?" _Ultra Magnus asked in amazement.

Ice nodded, looking at the big blue Mech with honesty in her optics. _"The gems you saw; are the core of the power of the Matrix. Its energy comes from the very Earth itself."_

"_You saw these gems?" _Optimus asked Ultra Magnus.

The big Mech nodded, and proceeded to tell the entire tale of how Raptor had found God.

Ice motioned to Prime, _"Give me the Matrix, let me show you the true power of the Soul Flyer that is Raptor."_

Opening up his chest, Prime pulled out the Matrix and handed it to Ice. It had never opened for any Mech other than a Prime, but yet, it allowed Ice to easily put her hand in. As she pulled it out, a bright multi-colored glow filled the room. In her hand, was a small gem stone. Tendrils of strangely color energy danced within its crystalline matrix.

"_The original Matrix was nothing other than one of Raptor's backup memory cores; full of technical and tactical data; powered by one of several crystals that are formed within her carbide skin. When she gives the original to the first Autobot carrier, the memory core copies the base programming of that Autobot. These programs are now the key for allowing access to the Matrix. Without them, the Matrix will send disruptive energy throughout a carrier's systems." _She rubbed the glowing crystal thoughtfully with her fingers as she talked, her amber optics seemingly fixated on this small piece of her mother.

"_As the carrier is allowed access, the core links to his own Meta, continually copying and downloading more information," _she explained. _"When each carrier dies, his spark flows into the crystal, adding his energy to it's." _Ice continued to look into the crystalline matrix of the gem as she spoke; then returned the crystal back into the Matrix and handed it back to Prime.

Cyclonus looked at her in shock. _"This explains why Galvatron was never able to use the Matrix."_

"_We don't have the same base programs," _Scrouge added.

Optimus studied the Matrix, amazed that it was so simple to understand, yet had baffled Autobot scientists for millennia. Then he put it back into his chest, happy that he carried at least a small fragment of his best friend. _"So she can travel through dimensions and time, and will return to this dimension many eons ago."_

Ice nodded, _"She can fly alongside Death himself. If she so chooses."_

Ultra Magnus studied the Seeker; she had impressed him as a soldier during the war, and now her internal strength and decisiveness, impressed him in the peace. _"You are not alone Ice. You have our respect." _He looked around at the other leaders. _"Ice has my vote, to fill her mother's position."_

The others looked at each other, they had all done very well during the peace of the Alliance, and few wanted to return to the days of civil war. The Decepticons in the military were happy, kept busy hunting the Quintessons – and the Autobots were happy, supplying the military with supplies and living as civilians. Yes, having Ice take the position as the Alliances' Link between the two factions – was satisfactory to both sides.

All the Mechs stood up, and saluted the new Alliance Commander.

**An Old Menace**

Galvatron looked deep into the waters of time. For the eon since he had lost his physical body, he had watched and learned. No, he had never accepted Death's offer of eternal peace. For he was the mighty Galvatron and bowed to no other – not even Death himself!

So the malicious spirit had wandered as the undead Soul Flyers could. He had seen the power of the multiversal entity that was Unicron, and he now knew the secret that Primus had so wished to hide. Yes, he now had a great bargaining chip with his knowledge.

Soon, he would obtain what he needed and then he would get a new body. To live again, and truly rule!

Floating across the boundaries of the reality bubbles, he allowed himself to solidify in front of the Fallen One.

--

Sideways sensed something was out of the ordinary. Yes, something was different in the eternal blandness of his imprisonment. Scanning around him, he could not detect anything abnormal.

A strange cackling filled his audios. _"You sense the dead, Fallen One." _

Turning around, he saw the ghost solidify. But unlike most Mechs, this did not cause Sideways much concern, for he was eternal – a Soul Flyer – so death had no meaning to him. He recognized the ghost as that of a Galvatron from one of the far side dimensions.

"_That I do, and a fellow brother it would seem."_

Galvatron studied the small, strangely built Mech. He knew that while the Fallen One may not be physically intimidating, he was the Guardian of Entropy, the bringer of Chaos. And Galvatron liked nothing better than chaos!

"_It appears that you are still imprisoned by the light" _the Decepticon stated. _"I have a way to free you, providing you give me what I want."_

**  
Flying Away from the Pain**

Raptor flew, without direction, without a thought to the future. She just wanted escape; Escape from her past, her future, herself. So she flew on, into the empty blackness of the uncharted regions of deep space. Her only companions were the three happy little minicons – her only children, her only family now. They didn't care where they were going, they just enjoyed each day as it came. Many years passed, unnoticed by the companions as they explored the uncharted regions.

Laughing as she darted around dimensional bubbles within the cool plasma of warp phase, Raptor asked: _"So which one should we try this time little guys?"_

Jetstorm's optics lit up. The malicious ghost, whom had quietly possessed him for these years, knew that his opportunity had finally come! Yes, now he'd get even with the usurper whore of a Soul Flyer! It was time to 'accidentally guide' her wings to the Fallen One's prison. Then he could leave this pathetic minicon chassis and go collect what he needed – to recreate his own!

Babbling in his strange encrypted language, little Jetstorm pointed towards the bubble on their portside.

"_Sure thing, it looks like an interesting reality!" _Raptor chuckled as she banked port and penetrated the skin of the bubble.

A few astrocycles later, Raptor landed on yet another barren, rocky planet – basking her solar cells in the light of its star. Her minicons cheerily danced over her fuselage, looking for any damage. She chuckled at their antics.

Suddenly, she realized that a male chuckle accompanied hers. Jumping up, she whirled around, Star Saber already in her hand.

The smaller Mech male looked at her in surprise, _"That's not quite the reaction I was hoping for; from the first Seeker I've seen in eons."_

He was a rather odd looking; small-type ground Mech. Almost appearing like a longhorn bull with the horns sticking off either side of his helm. But he was non-threatening, and obviously stranded on this uncharted planet, so Raptor lowered her blade.

"_I apologize, I was not expecting any company other than my companions" _she explained.

He nodded, and then walked towards her, offering his hand. As she met him and shook it, he looked up at the tall, lithe, Decepticon Seeker – noting her obvious capabilities as a fighter. _"My name is Sideways – and you are?"_

As the two began to talk, Jetstorm almost fell down. A wave of energy seemed to lift off him. Looking around in confusion, the little bot wondered how in the heck they'd gotten here. For he didn't remember a single part of the journey!

_--_

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	7. Evil Returns

_**Note: **This story will now kind've spit in two. As Galvatron stays in the post-G1 universe and Raptor heads off to the Armada Universe. I will try and make it obvious if the section is in the 'home dimension' (G1) or 'new/other dimension' (pre-Armada)._

**Home Dimension: Malicious Intent**

Now that the Usurper whore was taken care of, the malicious spirit knew that his intended victim would have no protection against him. Galvatron flowed through the vastness of space towards the planet Earth. The immense distance was nothing more than a brief step for him.

Unseen, he passed through the walls of Earth Mech Command. His mind filled with a fury of rage as he saw Decepticons and Autobots working side-by-side with the Usurper's spawn.

It was this spawn that he sought. This spawn would give him the ability to destroy all in his path. This spawn would make even Unicron bow to his knees before Galvatron.

As he entered her quarters, Galvatron's optics roved over the air frame of the sleeping spawn. Her dull gray/blue fuselage was testament to her abilities of stealth. The lightness and strength of her carbide construction was what gave her the same endurance as her mother. He smirked, for it was that very carbide that made these whores so valuable to Primus. They were the key to the light that he bestowed on the unworthy Autobots.

Entering her chassis, he easily beat her spark down into hiding. Stretching, he enjoyed the sensation of having a solid body again. Slowly, he sat up and began to get used to the massive sensory input load of this Seeker's systems.

Standing, he turned and regarded the pathetic Autobot that was still sleeping on the bunk. His amber optics narrowed, for he despised the Aerialbots intensely. Flipping one of her tail fins into a hand, he grinned maliciously as it flipped out into her electric blade. Plunging it into Air Raid's core, he cackled as the dying Autobot's optics flickered one time in disbelief.

With the taste of his first victim's death in his mouth, Galvatron-Ice teleported out of Earth Mech Command and disappeared into the night.

**Other dimensions: Bubbles of Reality**

Sideways ran his fingers lightly over the Seeker's wing, tracing her Decepticon insignia. She laid with her head and shoulders over his legs, basking the backs of her wings in the nearby star's radiation – refilling her cores with her solar-cells. He was pleased that this Seeker had 'accidentally' chosen his prison on which to land on, those months ago – for he had found it easy to convince her of his trustworthiness.

From that point forth, he had accompanied her in her travels. Quickly, he had realized that she had no specific direction, no plans for the future. Her internal strife and emptiness were so plain to see, for the intelligent and conniving Virus.

Yes, it had been easy to start filling her emptiness. Cause her to fall in love with him, for she was so desperate to grab onto something or someone. Though she was incredibly intelligent, her emotional weakness made her a very gullible victim. Sideways knew it was just a matter of time, before he could use her in order to enable his master to be reborn.

She turned her head to him, glancing up at him with a relaxed smile. The Virus smiled back, internally snickering at her blindness. "So where do you want to go next, my love?" she asked him.

He leaned back, acting as if he was deep in thought. He had already guided them through several dimensional teleports, perhaps it was time to finally teleport to the dimension that his master was imprisoned in? "Let's go through some more reality bubbles, I know of a very interesting dimension that you might like, my dear."

Smiling in happiness, Raptor stood up. Her cores were now fully charged, with the extra energon she had generated, now stored in her side weapons bays – just in case it'd be needed. Transforming, she opened her cockpit, the happy trio of minicons jumping in and settling themselves. Sideways settled himself over her top line, bracing his feet against the inside of her canted tail fins and curling his fingertips around the leading edges of her wings.

They took off; the cool plasma of warp phase engulfed them, as Raptor teleported. She had no coordinates, no picture in her mind – she simply darted around the bubbles of reality, blindly following Sideways's directions. She had no fear. After-all, the Transformers' Angel of Death had once told her that she was a Soul Flyer like himself – eternal, without the ability to die. So what was there left to fear? Just loneliness; and Sideways now filled that void.

**The Hidden Evil**

They landed on a strange world; part gas, part plasma. "I left something here long ago; I wonder if it's still here?" Sideways pondered.

She shrugged, not really caring what it was, just happy to make her lover happy. "Whatever it is, we'll find it I'm sure."

Grinning, the Virus led her to the entrance to his master's prison. "I sense it's in here, but we're not alone."

Staring into the strange cavern, Raptor's optics lit up. She and Sideways had met many hostile entities in their travels together, and if there was a fight to be had – then the Decepticon Seeker was more than ready to eagerly jump in.

Seeing the Star Saber appear in his 'girlfriend's' hands, Sideways grinned. This was going to be much too easy! For the guards which kept his master imprisoned, were in no way a challenge for this femme. And she was so blinded by her love for him; that she never even questioned what they were going in there for.

As they entered, wave after wave of obstacles and guards were thrown at them – and soundly defeated and destroyed by the pair. The battle lust running so strongly in the femme, that Sideways really didn't fight much – letting the Soul Flyer do most of the work for him.

Finally, they reached their goal, and Sideways put his hands on the pulsating orb of plasma. It was locked inside a crystal matrix. Raptor admired the sheer beauty of its entrancing energy dance, while Sideways smiled and picked it up. Nodding for her to open one of her belly bays, he stored the entity within. Then they embraced, Sideways showing his 'love' for her in his kiss.

Teleporting away from the strange planet, Sideways again guided the Soul Flyer through the maze of the dimensional bubbles. He knew of a reality which would be perfect to support the growth of his master.

**Ancient Cybertron**

The primitive Mechs looked up, amazed to see a strange Mech in flight. Yes, in flight! This was amazing to the primitives, for they had never conceived of this notion; much less had attempted the feat. The separate bands of primitives followed the spectacle flying across their territories, their optics trying to spot where she would land.

Having dropped the strange entity off on one of the empty moons, Sideways accompanied Raptor to Cybertron's surface. Scoping the primitive Mech world, the companions saw a world of half organic vegetation and half small Mech settlements. It was a strange world, with strange primitive Mech life forms. Landing, the advanced Mechs watched as a small band of primitives approached.

The primitive band whose territory the strangers had landed in, sent their best warriors to approach them, to drive them away. This world was a hostile world, with each small band continually warring with their neighbors. Each small group trying to keep a small piece of land for themselves; so assuming that the strangers were a threat – the warriors approached them with their primitive hand weapons and arrows ready.

As they approached, they let their arrows fly. They were horrified at the sight of their primitive ballistics bouncing harmlessly off the strange, glowing force fields which surrounded the strangers. Enraged, the warriors rushed the pair. Suddenly, the taller stranger had a blade in her hands, a blade that came to life with a strange light. Easily slicing their primitive steel blades in half, and then also doing the same to the warriors that had held them. The first band of primitive protectors was quickly decimated, but as the strangers approached their small city, they didn't raze it – as was the standard practice in this world. They asked them to swear their loyalty.

Faced with the incredible technology and tactics of the strangers, band after band of primitives were conquered. The small conflicts became a planet-wide war, with the followers of the strangers now wearing the strange alien insignia – calling themselves 'Decepticons'.

As Raptor led the fight to 'unify' this primitive Mech world, she didn't realize that the growing conflict was feeding the strange plasma entity they had left on the empty moon. It fed off the fear, hate and violence that flowed over the planet's surface. Growing in size and strength; sending its tendrils into the moon's surface. It mined the minerals within the moon's rock, to grow its body within the very core of the orbiting body.

The evil grew, and as it grew it began to think, to plan.

--

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	8. Actions speak louder than words

_**Note: **__This half of the story is fully post-G1 universe. 'Galvatron-Ice' signifies that its Galvatron's spark/mind – but in Ice's air frame._

**Home Dimension: To Grow Power**

Galvatron-Ice flew steadily in the currents of the jet stream. His mind locked on to how he would obtain the materials he needed for his future plans to be successful. With Galvatron, this always meant stealing and then causing as much damage as physically possible. So, the first thing he needed to do; was to fill his weapon bays with missiles.

Smirking, he headed towards one of the Alliance's Weapon Depots. With Ice's rank, he'd have no problem getting what he wanted.

--

"Um… Commander!" the surprised guard stuttered as he clumsily saluted.

Ice just nodded, and passed him without a word.

Since her reputation as a rather quiet Seeker was well-known, the guard thought nothing of it and went back into the front guard shack.

Brazenly walking straight through the center of the large storage base, Galvatron-Ice scanned the interior of each building as he walked past. Finally, his sensors identified the missiles he wanted. Turning, he casually went inside.

After stuffing all of his bays with air-to-air and air-to-ground missile types, he calmly walked out of the building. Transforming to alt mode, he made a slow vertical ascent, scanning the base in its entirety. As he reached two thousand feet, he laser locked the energon storage towers and let loose two laser guided missiles.

As the towers erupted in balls of fire and the base personnel ran around in panic, Galvatron-Ice sent one last missile into their ranks. Hitting the command center, the missile's nuclear war head detonated. Hundreds of personnel were killed instantly, as the base disappeared in the nuclear blast.

Cackling in glee at the spectacle of the death and destruction, Galvatron-Ice disappeared in teleport.

--

_**Note: **__This half of the story is now fully within the Pre-Armada universe._

**A. Dimension: Motives**

Raptor lounged in the castle that her followers had built for her; expansive chambers and towering spires reminiscent of the cathedrals of her home world; Earth. Seemingly out of place in the boring, plain architecture of this primitive Cybertron.

She smiled as some of her subjects approached her, their expressions one of timid subservience. She knew she was unifying this world, and one day these Mechs would live in complete peace under her rule. They would understand then, as she shaped their society and helped them to advance. Right now, she was merely a conqueror to them, a force they didn't understand and feared.

A femme looked shyly at her, this one was named Nightsand. Raptor used her as kind've a maid-in-waiting; in charge of keeping the warrior femme's fuselage impeccably maintained. Lying down on her hard bed, the Seeker grinned at her servant. "You always do a very thorough job, my dear;" she complimented.

A timid smile crossed the ground femme's face, "Thank you my Lady, I do my best."

Feeling the gentle hands running over her back, Raptor laid her head on her hands, enjoying the attention. Politely, she asked her servant about how her mate and friends were doing. Feeling the femme tense, she turned her head, noticing that the femme was trying to hold back sobs.

Sitting up, she pulled her into an embrace. "What is wrong? Tell me Nightsand."

Avoiding her optics, the servant tried to pull away, not wanting to tell the warrior what had happened. But Raptor wouldn't be swayed, and the femme was forced to turn her fearful gaze and meet those intense crimson optics. She couldn't lie, for the Seeker would know. "The police took him away, they said he was a traitor;" her optics implored Raptor. "But he's not! I swear on my own life he's not! Please my Lady, they'll.." the rest was lost in her sobs.

Raptor held the grieving servant, not really understanding what had occurred. Sideways was over the police forces, maintaining the security over the lands and Mechs that she conquered – while she focused on the front lines. She understood her lover having to imprison trouble makers, but as far as she knew, Nightsand's mate was nothing more than a simple trader. Never having caused any stir. She had even met him once, and he was a very meek Mech – not the type of personality typically associated with a trouble maker.

Pushing the femme away from her, she kept her hands on her shoulders, forcing her to meet her optics again. "Calm down. Tell me why they think he is a traitor;" she ordered, her tone soft.

Nightshade shook her head; there were many things the Seeker wasn't aware of. Many atrocities were being committed, and many Mechs disappearing – never to be seen again. But Raptor's lover threatened all the primitive Mechs, they feared to talk because of their terror of him. Looking into the Seeker's optics, Nightsand knew she faced death for speaking out – but without her mate – there was no longer a reason for her to live. So she told the femme everything, and as she spoke, Raptor's face hardened – anger beginning to course through her every fiber.

"I will get to the bottom of this, Nightshade. I may be a conqueror of your Mechs, but I am no Tyrant. I simply wish to unify this planet, allow your Mechs to advance in a climate of peace." Looking steadily at the femme, her face showed her honest motives. "Tell you people my words, tell them that they may speak freely to ME. And if there is any retribution – I will stop it."

The servant stumbled out of Raptor's quarters, knowing the warrior was good on her word, and praying that the powerful Seeker could indeed stand up to her terrible Lover.

As the servant left, Raptor knew that she'd have to truly find out what was going on. Surely, they were mistaken about Sideways! For he was the most wonderfully understanding Mech she'd ever met. But the femme seemed to be completely honest about her stories of terror, and this troubled Raptor to her very core.

Yes, it was time to do some infiltration, find out what was really going on.

**Undercover**

Engaging her full cloak, Raptor visualized Nightsand's mate, using the visual to enable her to teleport to his location.

As she came out of teleport, the scene horrified her to her very core! For she was in a large chamber, its walls covered in some type of living ooze. Tentacles of the organic substance were wrapped around a multitude of primitive Mechs. Their screams of terror and pain; resonated through the chamber. The organic substance seemed to be draining the very life force out of each Mech and many dead Mechs lined the walls, imbedded within the living mass.

She saw Nightsand's mate, so very weak that he could no longer scream. His glowing blue optics gave the only indication that he even functioned at all. Raptor knew the Mech wouldn't survive much longer, she had to act now! Show her subjects that she did not know of this atrocity – prove to them that she would somehow destroy it.

With the Star Saber in hand, she disengaged her cloaking and cut the tentacles from around the dying Mech. As he toppled forward, she threw him over her wing as she tried to cut others free. Suddenly, tentacles reached for her! Trying to ensnare the Seeker herself! She used the Star Saber to keep them at bay, and teleported back to her castle with the Mech.

--

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	9. Core of Knowledge

**G1 Dimension: The Pulse of Power**

Landing in front of the jewelry store, Galvatron-Ice glared at the humans who were yelling at him for blocking traffic. They seemed totally unafraid of him and this truly enraged the malicious spirit! The fact that he appeared to be the Alliance Commander, didn't even cross his mind. He wanted the humans to show fear, for fear was power!

"So, you pathetic flesh creatures want me to move?! Let me show you how to 'clear traffic'!" With that, he strafed the road with laser fire.

At first, the humans looked at him in total disbelief. But then it changed to panic and horror as he casually kicked cars out of his way. Believing that the Alliance Commander must've blown a processor, the humans fled.

Laughing in sheer joy at the chaos he'd created, Galvatron-Ice turned to the jewelry store and smashed the window. Reaching in, he grabbed the entire display of platinum and diamond wedding bands. Stuffing it in his cockpit, he transformed into alt mode. Throwing on afterburners, his shrieks of laughter increased as the row of buildings behind him, went up in flames.

The cool plasma of warp phase cooled down his tail fins as he teleported away.

Coming out of warp phase, he settled on top of the mountain in the upper northern reaches of Canada. Still chuckling to himself, he pulled out the display case and shook out the tiny human rings into his hand.

"It is amazing that the Autobots' light is nothing more than pathetic fleshling trinkets," he snickered. "And soon, I will have the power of that light!"

Using one of her own electrified blades, Galvatron-Ice slit open the carbide skin on the fronts of her lower legs. Sliding the human trinkets underneath the surface, he watched with glee as her internal repair systems quickly patched up the cuts, sealing the trinkets within.

Looking up into the sky, he saw the dancing lights of the Aurora borealis above. "It is time to cause your metamorphosis, my crystals," he said to himself.

Transforming, he went vertical; straight into the heart of Earth's great magnetic power.

**A. Dimension: The Core of Knowledge**

Laying the unconscious Mech on her bed, Raptor opened one of her side bays and pulled out some of her spare energon cubes. Sitting down next to him, she propped his head up against her leg. Dribbling the Energon slowly down his throat, she slowly refilled his depleted core.

Slowly, he regained full consciousness. Still so weak that he could barely move a finger, his optics filled with wonder as he realized it was the deadly Seeker who cradled him gently and gave him sips of energon.

Nightsand had told him that she felt the Seeker hadn't know what was going on, and now that Raptor had obviously rescued him from the terrible death – he knew that his mate had risked death by telling her Mistress what was really going on.

Raptor smiled at the weak Mech. "Tell me what you know. I will protect you, my subject."

In between sips of energon, he began to talk. Raptor listening to every word – the anger obviously building within her; as he finished, and was strong enough to sit up on his own, Raptor stood and regarded him. "I will have Nightsand paged. I will protect you as best as I can." Walking over to one of her many weapons chests, she opened it, and threw him two guns. "I thank you two for your honesty, and I assure you that I did not authorize this, nor have any knowledge."

The Mech merely nodded, he had never in his wildest dreams envisioned himself in this position, with the Seeker asking for HIS understanding.

Nightsand came in, running to him in disbelief and sheer happiness; she threw herself into his arms.

Raptor looked at them both. If their stories were correct, Sideways was truly not the Mech he had made her fall in love with. He had used her. She didn't understand this strange entity that drained the life forces from Mechs, but obviously it was the one that she had helped her Lover 'find' in that other dimension. It disgusted her that Sideways was directly involved in supplying the victims that this thing fed on. She had to find someway to stop this, and though she wasn't afraid of death – she knew that Sideways was more than a match for her.

Striding up to the pair of ground Mechs, she noticed the small merchant symbols that they wore. They were identical to Autobot insignias. Desperately, Raptor prayed she was about to do the right thing. She feared she couldn't completely protect them from Sideways, and hoped that she could give them something to guide them in case she was unsuccessful. Opening her belly bay, she accessed the panel in the back of it. It was here, that her backup memory bank was stored – both her Battle processor and Meta – dumped copies of important tactical and technical information into this bank. Schematics of advanced weapons, advanced Mech internal specs, and much more knowledge was stored within.

Disconnecting the backup and its small power supply, she pulled the oval-shaped, self-contained unit out of her air frame. Then, she thought about the strange mutated gems she had kept hidden in her knee armor all these hundreds of years. Those gems contained some of the pulsating energy that they'd captured from Earth's Northern Lights. One of them would be able to power this memory core for eons!

As her subjects stared at her with disbelief in their optics, Raptor used the Star Saber to cut open the skin on her port knee. As the carbon-fiber skin opened, a strange glow emanated from within. Pulling out one of the gems, she installed it inside the memory core unit.

She looked into the pair's blue optics. "I do not know if I will survive combat against my former Lover," she told them. Their optics showed their understanding of what she faced. "But know that I always meant to show you the way to peace."

Handing the male the memory bank, she nodded to his merchant symbol. "From this day forth, the insignia you wear will designate you as Autobot. What you hold in your hands is knowledge; knowledge that can be used to advance your population. I entrust this knowledge to you." Putting her hands on his shoulders, Raptor knew she was fixing to give him more responsibility than any Mech should have. But she had known Mechs that had managed it, and hoped that this one could also rise to the occasion. "From this day forth, all who have this Core of Knowledge passed to them are to be the designated Primary carriers. You shall try to guide your Mechs on the right path."

He looked at her; both fear and awe, showing in his blue optics. "But I'm just Alterai, just a merchant."

"You are now Alterus – Primary carrier. And you shall lead." She smiled sadly at him.

Turning, she gathered weapons for her coming fight against Sideways and his entity. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she glanced behind her.

Alterus – Primary Carrier had stored the Core of Knowledge within his own chest, connecting it to his primary power grid. As he accessed the files stored within, his CPU flooded with the emotion of shock at the sheer power of what she had truly given him. The small power crystal that was attached to the backup memory bank flooded his systems with the alien energy, causing him to physically change. The Mech that now met her optics with his own – was so very different from what he had been just moments before.

"Thank you Raptor, good luck on your mission;" he told her. His voice showing that he hoped she would survive, to help guide him in the use of this knowledge.

She hugged him, "Good luck to you. I'm truly sorry for what I've brought to your world."

Leaping from her balcony, the great Huntress transformed and spread her wings, seeking her traitorous Lover. That final piece of her; that she left protected within the Autobot's chassis – in the hopes it would help build this Cybertron – would be the only testament to her shattered life.

_**Footnote: **__Since the original writers never seemed to give any explanation for the origins of items such as; the Autobot Matrix, or the societal use of 'Prime' to designate those Mechs that carried it – I've tried to come up with one theory of how these could have occurred._

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	10. Rapture of Pure Power

**G1 Dimension: Renegade Forces**

Stalking unseen, Galvatron-Ice flew slightly above and behind the two Seekers. His wings trembled in anticipation of the punishment that he would be inflicting on Thrust and Dirge. For even though he was dead, he considered them traitors for having followed the usurper whore's leadership!

Arming two of the infrared lock missiles within his port belly bay, Galvatron snickered as he released them.

--

"Hey Dirge, you gonna join me on those new missile test runs?" Thrust asked.

Dirge snickered, "It's about time we blew something – AKKKK!"

The unwary Seekers never spotted the missiles until it was too late. Agony shot through them as their thrusters were blown apart. Transforming, the two began to plummet helplessly to the Earth.

Thin gray fingers wrapped around one arm of each, and as they looked up in shock and confusion at their gray/black Commander – the cool plasma of warp phase engulfed them.

--

Coming out of warp phase, the two damaged Seekers found themselves thrown on the rocky ground. The Alliance Commander glaring down at them, so completely out of character that at first neither Thrust or Dirge could even talk , they were in such shock!

"So you traitors have been living well I see," Galvatron-Ice growled.

Dirge's optics got huge and he found himself trembling in fear, for that voice wasn't Ice's it sounded like – Galvatron! "Uh, Galvatron?.." he stammered.

"But.. But.. You're dead!" Thrust whispered hoarsely, the terror obvious.

Galvatron-Ice strolled up to them, and laughed as he kicked each one in the face. "Death has no meaning for Galvatron! But it does for you!"

As Galvatron-Ice pointed his laser gun at his face, Thrust whimpered and cowered, begging for mercy, promising to do anything Galvatron asked. The possessed Seeker cocked her head and kicked Thrust across the rocks.

Turning towards Dirge, Galvatron-Ice stomped down hard on a wing. The Seeker screamed in agony as the gray/black Seeker engaged that thruster and seared right through his sensitive wing.

"Swear your loyalties to me – and I might let you live!" Galvatron-Ice snarled.

Falling on their faces, both damaged Seekers swore their loyalties.

--

For weeks, Galvatron-Ice and his renegade Decepticons continued to kidnap and convert the Alliance Decepticons back into his ranks. As the ranks swelled, Galvatron-Ice's reputation spread. Soon the Alliance Commanders: Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus – heard the rumors of Ice's possession and Galvatron's return – and desperately began a hunt.

But nothing could be found, and the decimation of the Decepticons from Cyclonus's ranks continued.

Eventually, the Constructicons were captured and converted back to Galvatron's ranks.

"I want you to build me a new chassis. One that no Mech can defeat!" Galvatron-Ice ordered.

Hook nodded, knowing full well if he didn't please Galvatron-Ice, there was a good chance he'd be offlined. "What type of alt mode do you wish my lord?"

"Hmmm, that's a good question," Galvatron-Ice rubbed his chin in contemplation. Those strange amber orbs began to gleam as the idea formed solidly in his meta. "I want to be a Triple Changer. Yes, a Triple Changer! Both tank and combat fighter. Make my cannon even more powerful than before!"

Hook's optics narrowed in thought. Triple Changers were among the hardest of all Transformers to build! It would take time to make sure it was just perfect. And how to make the alt mode cannon as powerful as Galvatron once was?

Galvatron-Ice gave him the answer to his silent question. Slicing open the front of one of her thrusters, he pulled out a strange, glowing crystal. Tossing it to Hook, the possessed Seeker's amber optics narrowed. "These are the most powerful energy sources in the Galaxy! Even Primus covets them! Use this one and make me the all-powerful!"

**A. Dimension: Confrontation**

With full weapon bays, Raptor stayed fully cloaked as she searched for Sideways. And as she searched, she saw police raiding and dragging her subjects away.

Stopping in each case she observed, she landed and decloaked. Shocking the police at her presence, and then she gave them royal orders that all arrests would stop immediately. Relief shown in the optics of her innocent subjects, their opinion of their conqueror changed as they realized that these were not her actions. The fear began to lessen amongst the Mechs, as the rumors of her actions ran like wild fire across the planet.

"Let them go, Captain;" she ordered. As she leveled her strong gaze at the nervous police squadron.

He shifted, fear in his optics. "If we don't take them to him, Sideways will take us instead."

She glared at him, "then simply quit. Run and hide. Do not enforce this evil. If you do not, you face me – now!"

Several of the police Mechs took her advice, and turned and ran - Quitting; as they felt that the Seeker had just ordered them to. The Captain backed up, not sure of which conqueror to fear the most – the femme or the male.

Not waiting for him to decide, the Star Saber appeared in the femme's hand. Calmly, she walked up to the two dozen chained prisoners and began to cut their bonds. A cheer went up through the freed prisoners, and several made like they were going to go after the Captain. "Do not touch your fellow Mechs. They are not the one to blame." Raptor's voice rang out, stopping the freed prisoners in their tracks.

"You shouldn't have done that, my 'Love'." Sideways's voice rang out, filled with threat.

All of the primitive Mechs ran for their lives, as the most feared conqueror squared off against the Seeker. Hiding behind buildings, they peered around. Now having realized through her actions; which of the dangerous pair - needed to win - for their planet's sake.

Raptor turned and regarded her former Lover with true disgust. "You shouldn't have made me believe you were something – which you weren't."

"You are foolish to believe that you can stand up to me. Join me, and we shall rule with the most powerful force in the universe."

Raptor laughed, "If ruling means the constant slaughter of my subjects, then tell your master he can kiss my aft."

"You will pay for your insolence, foolish Seeker"

Raptor spun in a blur at the Virus, Sideways seeming to disappear in a strange cloud of charged particles. Cussing, she yelled her frustration into the sky.

Slowly, timid Mechs approached the femme. Pointing up to one of the Moons, they informed her of where the prisoners were taken. Thanking them, the Seeker transformed and headed towards Sideways' Master.

**Unicron**

Landing on the surface, Raptor kept her cloaking engaged. Soon, she found the entrance that they used to shuttle prisoners down. Sliding in, she made her way towards her goal.

Suddenly, Sideways was on her! Finding her even with her cloaking engaged. Shutting it off, she blocked his laser fire – returning it with her own. He spun around her, his movement so fast that her sensors could barely track him. She dropped and rolled, getting distance between herself and her opponent. Swiftly jumping back to her thrusters, she met his next attack with the Star Saber.

He circled her; "you are nothing without the Star Saber. Even with it, you are nothing but an empty shell, a waste of a good air frame."

Cocking her head, she looked at him with amusement; "Coming from a worthless Virus like yourself – at least I have a good air frame."

Suddenly, he was behind her. Kicking her soundly, he caused her to fly through the air. Raptor merely grunted as she crashed right through several sections of organometallic bulkheads. Finally stopping, the Seeker staggered to her thrusters, shaking her head and regaining her bearings.

As energon from torn peripherals coated her intakes, she glared at the Virus. "Your puny kicks are nothing compared to the hits I took as lover to Galvatron. You'd better do more than that!" Coming at him with the Star Saber ready, she spun as he dissolved again.

Leaping into the air, she flipped and came down behind the reappearing Virus. With a swiftly executed roundhouse, she sent him flying through the opposite wall.

As he stopped, he jumped lightly back to his feet and hit her with several rounds of laser fire. She blocked much of it with the Star Saber, but several rounds tore through her sensitive wings. Staggering in agony, she barely maintained her defensive stance.

He came at her again, and again she kept him at bay. Flipping around her, he managed to hit her with another well-aimed blast. Flying through the air, Raptor crashed heavily through another wall. Struggling back to her thrusters, she ignored the pain from her torn fuselage, her circuits now bare and unprotected along her entire aft side. Opening her side bays, she sent a volley of missiles flying at her ex-lover.

He laughed as he dissolved. The missiles blew through the organo-metallic bulkheads that they hit. The concussion from the blast, blew Raptor backwards again. As her exposed circuits smashed against the exposed rock behind her, she swooned with the sheer agony. Shaking her head, she rose to a knee, trying to keep the Star Saber up defensively against the re-appearing form of Sideways.

Suddenly, his master surrounded her with tendrils, locking her arms against her sides. The Star Saber falling to the ground. Sideways walked around her, glaring at her in arrogance; "admit that you live for war. Nothing in you truly wants peace."

She spat at him, her crimson optics glaring in rage.

He snickered; "Yes, feel the rage Raptor. It feeds my master, gives him strength." He ran his hand over her helm, kissing her, making her rage at his betrayal grow. "You are all he needs now; your life force will give him the final boost. I hope you enjoy the pain of your death."

Then the Virus was gone, leaving Raptor to face her death alone. She could feel the entity beginning to drain her. But her thoughts drifted back, to what the Angel of Death had told her – she was trapped, she was eternal, she could not die. Then she thought about what Sideways had said – rage feeds his Master.

A glimmer of hope came over her. For there was something that Sideways and his evil master did not know; a trait that Cybertronians never had – but the uniqueness of her human-spark - did. Yes! A possibility that she could destroy this entity – and create meaning for her miserable life – delving deep into her human soul she called.

Though he had forsaken her on the day that Starscream had ripped her soul from her human body – she had never truly forsaken her belief in him. For it was He that kept the souls of her beloved human family; safe and happy in their deaths. So though He had turned away from the abomination that was her – she still loved him with her very soul. So she called her God, she called Jesus – she prayed for them to take her sin, take her pain, and make her shattered soul whole again. In that moment she became reborn, her only emotion being one of religious rapture.

As the rapture flowed through her, the strange gems within her port knee began to pulsate with the stored power of the Northern Lights. Tendrils of energy coursed along her air frame, turning her into a thing of plasma energy. Reaching her power cores, the gem's power combined with the released energy of them. The Seeker of plasma energy expanded and grew; unstoppable with the sheer volume of energy which it now controlled.

The evil entity tightened its grip on her, trying to stemmy the unexpected power which the Seeker had become. It fought against the positive energy flow. But it was used to fighting against one type of energy at a time; this thing of plasma was a combination of both Earth and Cybertronian power sources. Flowing over the entity - this alien combination of energy and pure religious rapture; against which the entity truly had no defense.

The entity pulled back, trying to let loose of the toxic combination. But the Seeker was too integrated within it. And as she became a thing of pure plasma energy, coursing through it – destroying everything in her wake - as she flowed through its systems.

The moon's surface cracked and boiled, as an eerie green light flowed through it. Devastating the entity within; slowly, the surface settled back into its cold lifelessness. As Raptor exhausted almost all of her cores, going unconscious as she lay trapped within the entity.

Something moved weakly, a horned helm poked through the devastation. Hands encircled the three helpless minicons lying at the unconscious Seeker's side. Sideways struggled to his knees, looking at Raptor's deactivated optics, touching her cockpit he could sense the strange pulsating spark within. Laughing weakly, he stood in front of her, the minicons staring up at him in fear.

"You have won the battle, but are far from winning the war." He glanced down at the minicons, bringing them to his face and studying them; "and what a gift you have given me Raptor! For with my Master and your life force – we shall hatch a multitude of these small soldiers. With them, we shall one day rule!"

The minicons chattered in terror, as the Virus took them away.

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_**Note: **__The original writers of Armada were never clear about how the 'cataclysm' on ancient Cybertron occurred and caused Unicron to go into hibernation.. So I've taken the liberty of putting forth my own theory.._

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_Please review.._


	11. Legacies

**G1 Dimension: Evil Reborn**

"You have done well, Hook. You may continue functioning for a little longer," Galvatron-Ice said as his optics roved over the new chassis that had been built for him.

His helm and general shape was similar to how he had looked in the Unicron-built chassis, but he now looked more like a cross with Blitzwing's chassis. And as he had requested, his new chassis had been painted jet black. This added to the sense of deadliness and strength that the Triple Changer chassis bestowed upon onlookers.

Nodding to his gathered Decepticons, Galvatron's malicious spirit released its hold on Ice and flowed into his new chassis.

Laughing in glee, Galvatron's red optics activated and he glared at the pathetic Seeker he'd possessed for so long.

She was looking around her in total confusion, not even fighting the two Decepticons whom now held her. "What's going on Motor Master?" she innocently asked.

Without warning Galvatron hit her as hard as he could, propelling her across the room and into the wall. "I live! And you pathetic spawn of the usurper whore, had better swear your loyalty to me – or face the consequences!"

Still in shock, Ice reacted automatically. Staggering swiftly back to her thrusters, she glared at him, "I will never swear to an abomination such as you!" Even as she spoke, she flipped her two short blades out.

The other Decepticons moved back, all of them knowing the fighting prowlness of both warriors.

"So the whore spawn has spirit – does she! More fun to break!" He came at her, fully intending to rip her thin wings right from her fuselage.

Keeping her defense solid, Ice stood her ground. Her amber optics glimmered intensely as she kept the powerful Mech at bay. For many minutes they stayed locked in a blurring motion of feints, strikes and kicks.

"You fight almost as well as that whore mother of yours. Much better than that pathetic Air Raid did, when you put your blade through his core," Galvatron snarled as he gloated. "And thanks for the crystals that now power me!"

Hearing his words, Ice's optics got big as she understood what he had done. He had possessed her! Used her to take her own bond mate's life! Used her to grow the very crystals that were the source of the Autobots' light! If she lost this fight, she'd be his prisoner. She'd be forced to grow even more crystals for him. With her in his control – Galvatron would be unstoppable! Above all else, she couldn't allow that to happen! And in her very core – she knew there was only two ways to guarantee that it wouldn't.

Twirling, she barely avoided his punch. Desperately, she probed her surroundings with her sensors. The sinking feeling of hopelessness spread through her cores as she realized that the complex was completely surrounded by a force field – making teleport escape impossible!

Galvatron got her with a hard right hook. Staggering back, Ice dropped and rolled to the side, trying to get space between them.

Blocking his kick with her crossed blades, she leaped lightly to her thrusters. Scanning the watching Decepticons with her optics as she whirled, she looked for one glance of sympathy – of concern. But they were all cold-faced and grinning at the spectacle of her desperate fight. Darkness settled over Ice, as she continued to keep the powerful mech at bay. For now she shall with certainty that her mother had been right – that Decepticons were programmed so differently – that there was no chance for lasting peace when it came from outside forces.

Getting past her weakening defenses, Galvatron punched her hard. As she flew towards the wall, onlookers dodged to the side, snickering their pleasure at the 'fun'.

Near full exhaustion of her power cores, Ice staggered back on her thrusters. She raised her blades even as her spilled energon pooled on the floor. She knew she had failed. In just the few decades since her great mother's departure from this dimension, the Alliance had fallen. For Ice was the Alliances' Link, their unifying Commander – and she had failed. And now, there was only one way to keep the evil from strengthening even further.

"Mother – forgive me!" she screamed as she thrust her own electrified blades into her fuselage, slicing through all of her power cores. And in the blink of an optic; the quiet, loving daughter of Optimus and Raptor – disappeared in a beautiful ball of pure energy.

Even as she died, Ice knew what her legacy would be. A Galaxy filled with war and strife, never to know the touch of peace again.

**A. Dimension: Raptor's Legacy**

The primitive mechs on the planet's surface looked up in wonder. The moon's surface seemed to pulsate with eerie green plasma. Tendrils of the green glow; flowed across the surface, causing the rocks to shift and shatter.

In a cataclysm of light and energy, the moon seemed to shudder and slightly shrink in size. The shockwave of the matter flux finally traveled the distance to Cybertron's surface, causing a terrible earthquake to roll over the planet. The terrified mechs were knocked from their feet, as they covered their optics and screamed in fear.

Finally, the moon settled back into itself. The surface slowly went back to its normal barren rock. Standing up, the primitive mechs looked at each other in wonder, for they all knew they'd observed something truly amazing.

As the rumors flew across the surface, from group to group; the tales of the power of the warrior Seeker magnified in scope. Soon, her gender and name began to be left out of the story – only the symbol she wore, remained. The tales increased as to their magnification of this 'Decepticon's' fighting abilities. And the more aggressive groups of primitives began to adopt that symbol as their own. They formed secret pacts with each other, understanding that the power of this Mythical figure was based in the conquests that he had achieved.

Alterus - Primary carried the Core of Knowledge within him. As the Seeker had ordered, he organized a large group of merchants and builders. Adopting the merchant symbol to identify their alliance, they began to refer to themselves as 'Autobots'; since they were striving to increase the automation on their planet, for the benefit of all mechs. With the technical knowledge Alterus carried, they began to advance their culture. They built stronger, faster and more intelligent mechs by combining the technology from the Core, with aspects of their own technology.

Villages became towns; towns became cities. Soon, surface mass transit system crisscrossed the planet, connecting the cities together. The population swelled, overflowing into the vegetative regions. Quickly paving and building over the flora.

Soon, the population had flooded the surface. Engineers began to tunnel beneath. As the skyscrapers stretched to the sky, their roots penetrated deep into Cybertron's surface. A sub world of tunnels and underground buildings grew.

Mechs off lined, new ones were animated. The secret societies of the Decepticons grew in size and power. The military ranks of the planet were soon almost completely made up of members of this secret society. The legend of the Decepticon conqueror filled their minds with visions of power.

As new technology was leaked out by the Autobot engineers, the Decepticons eagerly snapped it up. By modifying it and improving upon it; always seeking to build the most powerful and efficient soldiers that they could with it. They did this always under the guise that their growing population and planetary trade routes needed to be protected from alien interests.

The Core of Power was rebuilt by the engineers. Now calling it the Matrix of Leadership, they handed it to their second leader as they coronated him as 'Prime' carrier. This new Matrix not only contained the ancient technical data of its origin, but had been modified to allow future Prime carriers to add data files to it. It was still powered by the strange glowing crystal; for not even the best of Autobot scientists could understand it, much less match it.

As Sigma Prime took his place as the leader of the Autobots, little did anyone realize there was a conflict brewing beneath the surface of their society. This conflict would be based on values, ideals, on theological differences; a conflict that would tear their world apart.

As the first platoons of the militia, removed their Autobot insignia and replaced them with the symbol of the secret society, the emerging threat of the Decepticons was not fully understood. At first, the civilian Autobots allowed the Decepticons to put their leaders into the positions of power within the society, not understanding the change that this would cause.

Finally, the Decepticons demanded the office of Prime for their own. They demanded that Sigma Prime hand over the Matrix, to give them the power of knowledge. He was imprisoned when he refused. He was the first Autobot to suffer the sadistic torture of the Decepticons; barely escaping with his life – his experience served to polarize the Autobots.

The merchants and civilians grouped together to fight the military might of the Decepticons; under the leadership of Sigma Prime.

And thus, the civil war began, starting differently than it had in other dimensions, but the end result was the same. Cybertron became a shattered world of violence, rape, treachery and death. With both sides unable to achieve complete victory, or to even come to a negotiated settlement.

As the eons passed, the Decepticons finally built the ultimate soldier, the ultimate leader. Who heard the legend of the great Decepticon conqueror, and who lusted to not only equal that Myth's power and might – but to far surpass it. As he was sworn into power, Megatron looked up at the moon that was rumored to be the final monument to that great warrior. In his mind he envisioned that demigod looking down at him – in approval.

In their Capital city, the Autobots were swearing in their new leader as well. As the mech closed his chest the great power of the Matrix coursed through him, physically changing him. The immense power of the Matrix caused him to stagger to a knee. Putting his hands to his chest, Optimus Prime bowed his head, praying that the great mech who had given this to them as a gift, could see him and was looking down at him – in approval.

Only remembered as an unnamed Mythical figure, Raptor lay silently in hibernation within the very bowels of the entity she had defeated. Her actual life; forgotten to the swirl of history. Her actual goal to bring the Cybertronians into a peaceful, strong and prosperous existence; twisted by each faction. Her dreams; haunted the dream world that was now her only reality. Her 'family' of minicons; were now nothing more than a multitude of pawns for the evil.

Her legacy was a world of warfare, of pain, of terrible strife – only serving to feed and strengthen the very entity that she had sacrificed herself to stop.

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_**Footnote: **__The creators of the Armada series were never clear about the Cataclysm of early Cybertron, nor how minicons could 'hatch' – while Transformers did not. This is just my little theory on how it could've happened._

_**This is the end of the Unicron Rapture, leading directly into my 'Armada Soul Flyer' series.. I hope you continue to enjoy…**_

_--_

_Please review.._


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